Mayangna in Nicaragua - Minority Rights Group

[ad_1]

Until very recently Mayangna were commonly known as Sumu. This name, which is derogatory, was applied to a number of the separate but linguistically related Caribbean coastal indigenous peoples who refused to be absorbed into the then expanding Miskitu kingdom. In recent years, the group has rejected the name Sumu, much preferring to be called Mayangna.

In a leading case before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), namely Maya n gna (Sumo) Awas Tingni Community v. Nicaragua (2001), the Awas Tingni community (one of numerous Mayangna communities inhabiting the isolated Atlantic coast region of Nicaragua) challenged Nicaragua’s failure to demarcate their communal lands and the granting of a timber concession in an area belonging to the community without consulting them. Despite the fact the American Convention on Human Rights made no express reference to indigenous peoples nor to communal property, the Court, through what it itself described as ‘an evolutionary interpretation’, found that Article 21, until that point regarded as protecting a classic, individual private right to property, protected the right to property ‘in a sense which includes … the rights of members of the indigenous communities within the framework of communal property’.

This was a ground-breaking development. Yet, the reason why the Awas Tigni community had to take their case to the regional level was not because Nicaragua’s Constitution and legislation made no provision for indigenous peoples and their property rights. Indeed, Nicaragua’s 1995 Constitution contains several provisions on the country’s indigenous peoples, their communal form of land-ownership and their enjoyment of their natural resources. Instead, as found by the IACtHR, there was no established procedure for the titling of indigenous lands and therefore for making the constitutional and other legislative provisions effective in practice.

The case ended positively, albeit after a protracted struggle to ensure implementation. In December 2008, a ceremony was held where the Nicaraguan government granted the Awas Tigni community title to some 74,000 hectares.

[ad_1]

Source link : https://minorityrights.org/communities/mayangna/ Author : Publish date : 2024-01-23 09:14:11 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source .

December 2025
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Mayangna in Nicaragua – Minority Rights Group

The Early Bird Gets the …Flights to PANAMA for Under $300 Bucks – TravelPirates

Dengue Fever in Central America Guide

Dengue Fever in Central America Guide

Unleashing Potential: How Northwest Arkansas and Benton County Are Leading the Charge in Growth!

Scarlett Hadley Ready to Dazzle at the Junior Pan American Games for St. Vincent and the Grenadines!

Understanding the Controversy: Trump’s Bold Move to Deploy Active Duty Troops in Los Angeles

Unlock Your Future: Exciting Career Opportunities Await in Denver!

20 Iconic Songs That Capture America’s Patriotic Spirit and Rebellious Heart

Trump and Milei Team Up: A Bold Move Amid $20 Billion U.S. Bailout Negotiations!

Latin America’s High-Stakes Bet: Are Erik Prince’s Mercenaries the Solution to Crime?

Justice Restored: Kilmar Ábrego García Reunited with His Case After Wrongful Deportation

Former PM Calls for a Thoughtful Approach to US Radar Request in Grenada

Forging a Bright Future: U.S. and Greenland Unite for Arctic Prosperity

Categories

Archives